VRBO

It's not unusual. And the number alone is useless to him for any other reason. You don't run any risk of identity theft if you give it to him.

Thank you! That makes me feel better.

The last time we rented a place in Paris, the owner wanted a pdf of the face page of my passport, with my picture and signature. Since we paid by bank transfer and PayPal, I didn't see the relevance unless it was so the housekeeper who let us in would know it was really me. I've had to do the same thing with my driver's license for vacation rentals in the US.

But I wonder whether Nancy is right that "the number is useless to him" otherwise. Hypothetically, couldn't someone use my number to report a missing passport and get a new one issued for bad purposes? Or would they have to produce some other ID, or look like me?

I personally don't like it. I am intimately familiar with renting apartment in Europe and there just isn't a good reason to want the information. I am also not a great fan of renting from "individuals"; all other things being equal I would only feel comfortable renting from a broker or management company with a reputation to protect, a professional business practice and a major investment in the business.

What are the chances that someone would list an apartment on VRBO for the purpose of stealing a passport number? And further, what good would it do to try to use the number to get a duplicate passport issued, when the apartment owner would have no other ID or details about you with which to verify their identity? When you check into a hotel in Spain they write down your passport number (among other things) because it needs to be reported. The same is probably true of renting an apartment.

What is the purpose? I have absolutely no idea what the purpose would be for a gentleman in Spain to want my passport number in return for his flat for a night. There might be an excellent and legitimate reason. I know in the country where I am most familiar with apartment rentals that there would be absolutely no reason to ask for the number. I have also noticed that the policy at hotels to record passport numbers is not what it once was. Do I really think there is something foul about? Naaaa. But I still wouldn't test it without checking on a few others in the same location to see if the present me with they same request.

In some countries ( Italyfor one) the landlord or hotel keeper must ensure that you are registered with the local police. It is the law. I don't know the law in Spain, but we did have to show our passports each time we registered in a hotel or apartment.

There are no identity theft issues with your passport number. The person renting you an apartment is taking a chance, how are they to know you are who you say you are?

We had to enter our passport number to buy train tickets on Renfe. No big deal.

Rather than everyone speculating on it, why not ask the owner why he needs that information?

Nancy, that takes all the fun out of it. I will admit I was too hard. I am a little biased against VBRO. Nancy you are absolutely correct.